Scaffold-forming structure



y 1961 w. B. AIKENS 2,990,909

SCAFFOLD-F'ORMING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR: WALTER B. AIKENS 4 m Sm ATT'YS July 4, 1961 w. B. AIKENS2,990,909 v SCAFFOLD-FORMING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 15, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 mvm'vh 1 26 k Mum,

INVENTOR: WALTER B. AIKENS BY ATT'YS United States Patent 2 Claims. (Cl.182-181) This invention relates to scaffold-forming structures requiredfor the use of workmen inbuilding operations.

The main objects of thisinvention are to provide an improved structurefor use in forming adjustable scaifolding from standard timbers; toprovide an improved form of scaffold-forming structure of this kindwhich permits the erecting of a scaffold by positioning a pair oftimbers uprightly in transverse relationship to a horizontal timber; toprovide an improved scaffold-forming structure of this kind whichprovides a secure brace spanning the angle between the upright andtransverse timbers; to provide an improved scaffold-forming structure ofthis kind comprising relatively adjustable sections inseparably attachedin adjustable relationship to permit a wide range in the relativedisposition of the upright and horizontal timbers; and to provide animproved scaifold-forming structure of this kind of such simplecharacter as to make its manufacture very economical, its marketing, asa complete, ready-to-use unit, most practical and its use exceedinglyfacile to assemble or disassemble scaffolding of various types.

. In the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawmgs;

. FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a saw-horse type of scaffoldassembled from timbers held in place by a pair of units constructed inaccordance With this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view of one of the complete structureunits with the sections and the timber clamps relatively positioned asshown in FIG. 1;

(FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of a fastener clip forthe brace section of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of one of thetimber-embracing clamps;

, FIG. 5 is a similar view of this modified form of clamp positionableon another timber from that shown in FIG. 4;

FIG, 6 is a perspective view of a type of scaffolding formed with asingle structure, made in accordance with this invention, with thetransverse timber set against a building wall;

FIG. 7 is a view showing how this scaffold-forming structure permits usewith upright timbers on unlevel ground; and

FIG. 8 is a further modified form of the fastener clip for the bracesection of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The essential concept of this invention involves a twosection structureformed, preferably of tubing, one section being of open rectangularshape and the other section being of substantially V-shape, the twosections being permanently hinged together, the one section mounting aplurality of shiftable timber-embracing clamps for anchoring pairs ofupright timbers in operational relationship with a third horizontaltimber, other section being positionable to span the angle between thetransverse timbers with the free end of this other section anchored tothe horizontal timber.

A scatfold-forming structure embodying the foregoing concept comprises asupporting section 11 and a bracing section 12 hingedly connectedtogether, the supporting 11 section mounting timber-embracing clamps 13and 14, and the bracing section 12 mounting a timber-attaching clip 15.

The sections 11 and 12, as herein shown, preferably are formed ofconventional piping. Obviously, the sections Patented July 4, 1961 11.and 12 could be formed of other material, such as angle or channel iron,for example. 'However piping is most advantageous which, generally,should be about one inch in diameter.

For section 11, the pipe is bent and the abutting ends welded togetherin rectangular shape. The section 12 is made of two straight pieces ofpipe 16 disposed in nonparallel relationship with the wider-spaced pipeends hinged to one side of the section 11 and the opposite,closer-spaced pipe ends, generally, secured to a clip 15. Thus the twopieces of pipe 16 are disposed so that the section 12 is substantiallyV-shape. Where this structure is to be used with 2" x 4" timbers, thesection 11 should be about two feet square and the section 12 should beabout three feet long.

The hinging of the section 12 to the section 11 is shown as effected byU-shaped straps 17 having the ends of the parallel ar-ms bonded to theopposite faces of the ends of the respective pieces of pipe 16 with theloops 23 embracing one side of the section 11.

The clamp 13, is here shown in two different forms. The form of FIGS. 1,2, 6, and 7 comprises U-bolts 18 with the free ends bonded to a spanningcross plate 19 which has centrally-threaded thereon a T-bolt 20 with adisk pad 21 swivelled on the free end of the T-bolt 20 inside the Ub0lt. (See FIG. 2.) A pair of these clamps 13 is arranged on oppositesides of the section 11 and are shiftable along these sides to permit apair of embraced timbers 22 to be arranged in upright relationship, asshown in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7. Such upright positioning of the timbers 22may be inclined as shown in the drawing, or, if the top pair of clamps13 is separated to correspond to the spacing of the lower pair of clamps13, the timbers 22 may be disposed parallel in their uprightrelationship.

A modified form of clamp 13 is shown in FIG. 5. This is specially formedfrom a piece of strap metal the ends of which are enlarged to provideloops 23. The strap is bent into U-shape so that the loops 23 are alinedto fit over the section 11, as indicated in FIG. 5. The base of thisform of clamp 13 has threaded thereon a T-bolt 20 with a swivelled diskpad 21, the same as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7.

The clamp 14, herein is shown as a piece of fiat strap metal bent'toU-shape. The parallel arms are bored with alined holes to slidablyembrace the section 11, between the pair of clamps 13. The base of thisclamp 14 has threaded thereon a T-bolt 24 with swivelled disk pad 25, asprovided for the clamps 13. As shown in FIG. 4, this clamp 14 may beconstructed the same as the clamp as shown in FIG. 5.

The inside distance between the arms of these clamps 13 and 14 andbetween the retracted pads 21 and the embraced section 11, regardless ofhow the clamps are formed, is such as to permit the ready insertion ofthe timbers 22 and 26, respectively, when the disk pads 21 areretracted. The turning up of the T-bolts firmly secures the clamps tothe respective timbers.

The manner of attaching the ends of the pipes 16, of section 12 to thetransverse timber 26 may vary. In FIG. 1 the ends of the pieces of pipe16 are shown removably attached by nails. In FIG. 2 the bracing-sectionpipes 16 are attached to the timber 26 by a bolt and nut with aninterposed clip 15. In FIG. 3, the ends of the pipes 16 are shownriveted to the U-shaped clip 15 with small holes 28 for the insertion ofnails. In FIG. 8, the clip 15 is shown loosely riveted to the pipe ends,as at 15', the clip having small nail holes 28 and larger holes 29 forthe optional use of a bolt and nut to secure the bracing section 12 tothe timber 26. To insure the spaced positioning of the hinged ends ofthe pieces of pipe 16, of the bracing section 12, on the supportingsection 11, as shown in FIG. 2, pairs of pins 30 are set in the bottomside of the supporting section 11 on opposite sides of the hingeconnections of the pipes 16 to that sup porting section side. (See FIGS.2 and 7.) Similarly, pins 31 are set in the top side of the supportingsection 11 on opposite sides of the single clamp 14 to insure itsretention in a middle position on the supporting section. (See FIGS. 2and 7.)

The sections 11 and 12, being permanently hinged together, and theclamps 13 and 14 (and the clip 15, where used) being permanentlypositioned on the sections 11 and 12, there results a unit structureready for immediate and facile use in the forming of almost any type ofscaffold from selected lengths of timbers 22 and 26. The timbers 22 maybe inclined to each other, as shown in FIGS. .1 and 7, or they may bedisposed parallel, when desired. Moreover, the point of attachment ofthe ends (or the clip 15) of the bracing section 12 and the positioningof the clamp 14 will determine whether the timbers 22 are disposed at anobtuse or right angle to the timber 26. Furthermore, this positioning ofthe horizontal timber 26 may be as close to the supporting surface asthe over-all height of the section 11 plus the clamps 15, or as farabove the supporting surface as the length of the timbers 22 used.

Scaffolding fabricated with a pair of these structures may stand free ofthe building along which it is to be used. On the other hand, ascaffolding fabricated with one of these structures may have the freeend of the transverse, horizontal timber 26 set against or abutting thebuilding wall, as indicated in FIG. 6. When so used where the outer wallhas been painted, or for any other reason, a pad 30, of rubber or othersuitable material, may be anchored or otherwise placed over the end ofthe timber 26 to prevent scratching the painted surface. And, as shownin FIG. 7, the timber 22 can be so arranged as to dispose the transversetimber 26 horizontally level even when the support surface for thescaffold is unlevel.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that details of the constructionshown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A scaffold-forming structure comprising, a pair of sections hingedlyconnected together for angular disposition to support and brace one pairof timbers upright in either substantially parallel or angledrelationship transversely of an intermediate horizontal third timber,one of the sections being of one-piece open rectangular shape and theother section being of substantially V-shape and hinged at its wider endto the one section, a pair of timber-embracing clamps slidablypositioned on each of the opposite parallel sides of the one section forclamping to the one section the pair of timbers in either of theaforesaid relationships, another timber-embracing clamp swivelablypositioned on the upper of the parallel sides of the one section betweenthe pair of clamps for clamping thereto the third timber in theaforesaid relationship to the pair of timbers, and timber-embracingmeans mounted on the free end of the other section for anchoring to thethird timber to span the angle between and brace thetransversely-disposed timbers.

2. A scaffold-forming structure comprising, a pair of sections hingedlyconnected together for angular disposition to support and brace one pairof timbers upright in either substantially-parallel or angularrelationship transversely of an intermediate horizontal third timber,one of the sections being of one-piece metal tubing of open rectangularshape and the other section being a pair of lengths of metal tubing inV-shaped disposition and having U-shaped ends embracing the bottom sideof the one section to hinge the other section to the one section, a pairof timber-embracing clamps slidably positioned on each of the oppositeparallel sides of the one section for clamping to the one section thepair of timbers in either of the aforesaid relationships, anothertimber-embracing clamp swivelably positioned on the upper of theparallel sides of the one section between the pair of clamps forclamping thereto the third timber in the aforesaid relationship to thepair of timbers, and a U-shaped timberembracing bracket secured to thefree ends of the lengths of metal tubing of the other section foranchoring to the third timber to span the angle between and bracetransversely-disposed timbers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,222,020 Myers Apr. 10, 1917 1,261,007 Beardsley Apr. 2, 1918 2,290,535Cavins July 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 463,580 Canada Mar. 7, 1950

